Rurouni Follower
by Distorted Glitter
Summary: RK - A girl travels through Japan to find the man that once saved her life, promised to stay, then up and left... Memories come flooding back to her, reminding her of happy days; The happy days she spent with HIM. Why did he leave?
1. Remembering the Past

Somewhere in Tokyo, a girl about the age of 18 or so is walking down a dirt road. Her memories replaying monotonously within in the depths of her mind.  
She had been an orphan for quite some time, mentally she grimaced, and she had only been about 8 years old when she had lost her family. The years after that were hard ones for her, but somehow she always managed. Except that one time, She said mentally. What happened to him? She thought.  
It must have been about 5 or 6 years ago, it was hard to recall how many years it's been, but what happened that day was crystal clear in her mind. She had been doing chores for an elderly couple up the road; they always paid her a few coins for her troubles, a nice family indeed. One day she had been drawing water from the well, when a group of thugs started giving her trouble, eventually leading to violence.  
It was then, when that strange man appeared, almost out of nowhere. Right before the girl's very eyes, all six men, they were all dead in on sweep of a sword. No, not dead, a clear image of a reverse blade sword surfaced in her memory. Tears formed in here eyes as she threw her arms around the man. After regaining self-control, it came to her that she hadn't even thanked him.  
"Excuse me," she said. "I wanted to thank you, Mr. err."  
"Himura," he replied. "My name is Kenshin Himura"  
"Thank you Mr. Himura," she began.  
"Please, call me Kenshin"  
"Kenshin then, thank you for saving my life, I don't have much to repay you with. Though, it looks as if you have been traveling for quite sometime, perhaps I could offer you food and shelter for the night"  
"Food does sound good, that it does," he replied. "If you don't mind taking in a stranger for the night" he finished with a smile.  
"Oro!!" He said. "I have forgotten my manners, that I have, what is your name miss?"  
"Arie-Sung" she began. "Arie-Sung Kyoketsu. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Himura err. Kenshin"  
Coming back from her memory, Arie-Sung realized it was getting dark. Leaving the road, she set up camp. With any luck, she would be in the city by noon tomorrow. Then, she thought, and then I will find him. I will find Kenshin Himura. And with that, she fell into a deep slumber.  
The night plunged deeper into her past, the truth; the reason for Arie-Sung's endless quest to find Kenshin. While during the day her conscience may mislead her, during the night, her heart would not. Dreams never lie.  
"Is this where you live?" Kenshin asked, as they entered the small, but well kept house.  
"I know it isn't anything elaborate," Arie-Sung said. "But, to me its home. The only bit of home that I have left" She finished mournfully.  
"Don't you have any family?" Kenshin asked cautiously.  
"No" was all that Arie-Sung replied, and then quickly changed the subject, "Let's get you to your room, I'll start making dinner"  
For most of the night, not much more was said, beside the compliments and "thanks yous" for the meal. It was nearly dark before conversation broke again.  
"If you don't mind my asking," Kenshin began. "What happened to your family? I mean. You do look a little young to be on your own yet" That's all it took. Before Kenshin could tell what was going on, Arie-Sung sat before him in tears.  
"Before the revolution ended," she began. "My family was slaughtered by a gang of thugs, similar to the ones you saved me from. But, these men were different, these men carried guns. They killed my family, the livestock, everything. They probably would have killed me too, if it wasn't for the fact that I was gone when it happened"  
Are-Sung's tears had cleared now, but the sorrow still remained in her eyes. She's a strong girl, that she is thought Kenshin.  
"Himura," Arie-Sung said looking up. "Please say you'll stay for awhile? I would. well. I would like you to teach me swordsmanship, even if it's just to block and parry. PLEASE! Don't leave me until I can defend myself" As she began to cry again.  
"I won't leave," he said. "I promise I won't leave you until you can defend yourself"  
"Promise, promise?" Arie-Sung asked.  
"I promise, promise" Kenshin replied with a smile.  
And with that, they bid each other "good night" and went to bed. But, now the image was getting fuzzy, and the last image of Kenshin's face was slowly drifting.  
"KENSHIN!" Screamed Arie-Sung, abruptly awakening from her sleep. Panic struck her for a moment; reality was becoming a dream, what was reality? What was she going to do? Was she going crazy? No, she just needed to find him, then. she thought then everything will be okay.  
It was early; the sun wasn't even up yet. After eating a cold breakfast of fruit, bread, and cheese, Arie-Sung decided to begin moving, and maybe stop at a hot spring on the way. Yes, she thought. I'm just too nervous the hot spring will ease some tension away.  
The day continued on, and the morning sun was hot. I suppose it doesn't help wearing this stupid straw hat, Arie-Sung scolded herself. But. she thought People don't seem to bother me, thinking that I'm a man and not a woman, and it does keep the sun out of my eyes. Mentally she shrugged, let out a deep sigh, and continued on her journey.  
Getting caught up in her thoughts, Arie-Sung forgot to watch the road. Before she could stop herself, she tripped and fell into a group of men standing in the road. Swearing under her breath, Arie-Sung stood up; dusting the dirt off of her worn robes, and went to apologize.  
Now seeing the men for the first time, without tripping and falling on her face, Arie-Sung recognized that the men were a group of wanted outlaws. She remembered reading about them in the paper not too long ago; they were wanted for rape, murder, and theft, if she remembered correctly. She wanted to avoid trouble if she could.  
"I'm sorry," she began. "I didn't mean to bump into you, you see."  
"Hey kid!" One of the men said. "Who the hell do you think you are!?"  
"Yea!" Another one piped in. "Don't you know who we are?"  
"I'm sure you've heard of us" another man cackled.  
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!" A man, who appeared to be the leader, boomed.  
"Young man," he said to Arie-Sung. "You have caused a commotion amongst my men, this has greatly irritated me, and for that. YOU WILL BE MY NEXT VICTIM!!!!" he screamed. And with that he lifted his sword.  
"Prepare to meet your end" he finished. 


	2. In the Footsteps of a Wanderer

"Hey" said one of the men to another. "Would you look at that? The kid has a sword at his waist, but he's just a runt, and no match for the boss."  
"Yea" another said. "I bet you the boss takes that sword and shoves it right up his."  
"Shhhh!" one of them hissed. "It's about to begin"  
"I am Chan Yei" the leader began. "I am not as rude as some of my comrades here; I'll at least tell you my name before I take your life. Now DIE!!" he screamed.  
Before she even had time to breathe, Arie-Sung was being charged at by the man they called, Chan Yei. He was fast, despite his large size, his speed was incredible. No wonder the police could never capture them, with speed like that. Kenshin. she thought.  
Moving at the last minute, Arie-Sung dodged the attack, but not quickly enough. Spinning around to face her enemy once again, Arie-Sung grabbed the sword at her waist, but in that instant; her straw hat split on an angle. Without her hat, there was no way that anyone wouldn't realize that she was a female.  
"Humph" she said. "I was just debating with myself about getting rid of that hat, but I guess that you've solved that problem for me" she finished coldly.  
"The runt."  
".Is a ."  
"GIRL?!" Chan Yei's men stuttered flabbergasted.  
"Arghhh!" screamed Chan Yei. "I've never been so humiliated in my life!"  
"Then obviously you've never checked a mirror before going out in public" Arie-Sung retorted.  
"Save your jokes for the afterlife bitch, because now you're going to die" Chan Yei shot back curtly.  
In the blink of an eye, both Arie-Sung and Chan Yei, had drawn their swords and lunged into an attack. The sound of metal chimed and both fighters were thrown aback. Chan Yei immediately leapt into another attack towards Arie-Sung's right hip. Arie-Sung parries the attack, and the fight went on.  
Meanwhile, on the outskirt of the battle, Chan Yei's men stood baffled. To see a girl, and a young one at that, keep up with their boss. No one had ever been able to keep up with him, and yet, this girl was having no trouble at all.  
The sound of metal continued to clash, as the morning sun, rose to noon. Then, it happened, the deciding move.  
Chan Yei charged toward Arie-Sung, attempting to split her down the middle. His sword came down. Arie-Sung shot up her arm and blocked it. Then as quickly as she had made her block. She executed an amazing quick and powerful spinning kick to Chan Yei's groin, followed by a powerful sword sweep down on to the back of his head.  
In the moment Arie-Sung's sword was back in its sheath, her challenger fell to the ground with an enormous thud. The rest of the men fled, screaming like babbling children.  
It wasn't until after the voiced of fleeing men turned to silence, did Arie-Sung realize that the fight had set her back yet another day. Damn it! She thought. Something caught her attention; Chan Yei was beginning to stir. That's not what caught her eye though. Behind a bush, there was a woman, she was trembling in fear.  
"Is he." she stuttered. "Will he die?" she asked, almost hopefully.  
"No, he isn't, nor will he die" Arie-Sung replied.  
"But you don't understand!!" the woman cried. "Don't you know who these men are?! Do you know what they are wanted for?! Is your youth that much of a handicap for you?!" she finished coldly.  
Arie-Sung stood up and drew out her sword, as quick as a cat would draw her claws. The woman looked at it fearfully, but then her fear turned to disgust.  
"Pfffft" she spat at Arie-Sung. "A reverse blade sword? I was right when I said that your youth deceives you"  
Arie-Sung looked up; Chan Yei was trying to get up. The woman saw Arie-Sung look away, and she smiled.  
"What's the matter? Realizing the truths now are you?" she sneered.  
Are-Sung did not respond, instead, she jumped and came down once again on Chan Yei with her knee. Maybe next time you'll stay down she thought.  
"Someone I once held dear to me said that all life is precious. No matter who they are, each and every one of their lives should never see its end before their time" Arie-Sung finally replied to the woman. "I believe it is you who has the handicap"  
"How dare you!" The women flared. "Do you even know who I am?"  
"I don't care who you are" Are-Sung replied, walking away. "Did you ever ask yourself that before you judged me?" And then, Arie-Sung was gone.  
By the time Arie-Sung reached a hot spring it was nearly sundown. Nevertheless, the hot water felt good. She began to think about what happened that day, when her memories of Kenshin clouded her thought once more.  
It had to have been about a year after Kenshin began living with her. He seemed happy with a place to call home, and even happier working with Arie-Sung as she improved daily in her sword skills. He had grown fond of her, almost too fond, considering the age difference. He had grown to learn much about the young girl. Yet, every time he mentioned her family, Arie-Sung looked as though even the thought of them caused her pain.  
One day it had occurred to Kenshin, that Arie-Sung, in many ways reminded him of his former love. That in fact, he never planned to leave her, all he wanted to do was stay there. with her.  
"Arie-Sung!!" Kenshin called  
"Coming!" Arie-Sung called back  
As she stepped into the room, Kenshin's eyes brightened, she looked beautiful.  
"Is something wrong?" Arie-Sung asked, looking curious  
"I was just admiring at how nice you look today, that I was" Kenshin replied  
"No, I meant, you called me over for a reason, yes?" Arie-Sung asked  
"Oh." Kenshin began nervously. "You should probably sit down for this" he said. "You see," he continued warily. "In the short time that I've stayed here, I've felt as though I've become close with you, as though I truly have a home" he paused for a brief moment and continued. "In this time that we've shared, I cam to realize that. I. I love you Arie" he finished.  
"I." Arie-Sung replied, stunned. "I love you too, Himura"  
"But." Kenshin began doubtfully. "Out age difference, what will people say?" he asked.  
"It doesn't matter," Arie-Sung replied. "So long as you're here with me. Promise that you'll never leave."  
"I promise" Kenshin replied  
"Promise, promise?" she whispered  
"Promise, promise" he finished softly, and sealed it with a kiss.  
Getting out of the spring, Arie-Sung dried the water and her tears with a towel. You said that you loved me she thought. You promise, promised to stay.  
"So why did you leave me?!" she cried. 


End file.
